Tom Branson
Tom Branson is an Irish Socialist who acts as chauffeur to Robert Crawley. From his first appearance in Episode Four he inspires Sybil Crawley to get involved in political causes. Relationship with Lady Sybil Series 1 Tom Branson arrived at Downton in May 1913 to be the Crawley family’s chauffeur, replacing Taylor. Branson immediately become curious about Lord Grantham’s youngest daughter, Lady Sybil, when he overhears her mother, Cora Crawley, talking about Sybil needing a new dress and impling that she has an interest in rights for women. Branson is very political, and once he discovered that Sybil is too, he sets out to increase her interest. Later, when Branson is driving Sybil to get a new dress fitted, he asks her if she will get her own way in it's design, she seems taken aback by the familiarity of his address but engages in the conversation. He takes the opportunity to give her some pamphlets about the vote for women, that he thought might interest her. Sybil requests that he not tell her father or grandmother, as they disapprove of reform. Sybil remarks that it "seems rather unlikely: a revolutionary chauffeur". He tells her that he is "a socialist, not a revolutionary" and that he "won’t always be a chauffeur". After this conversation, Sybil chooses a pair of Harem pants instead of a traditional Edwardian dress, obviously in an attempt to express her beliefs in equality. Lady Sybil is later shown to be trying on her latest purchase to wear to dinner with her family, whom are all waiting impatiently for her. She makes her entrance and receives mixed reactions from her relatives. Branson appears at the window and watches Sybil as she shows off her new outfit and he smiles in admiration. By May 1914 Sybil seems have become more involved with politics and since there are no politically enthusiastic members of her family who she could talk openly with, she most likely turned to Branson. Sybil watches the liberal candidate at a political rally with excitement, managing to ignore the commotion around her. Branson forces his way through the crowd so as to protect her from the violence and Mrs. Isobel Crawley convinces her to go before anything happens. Branson roughly pushes people out of her ladyship’s way and helps her into the car. Lady Sybil: I hope you do go into politics; it’s a fine ambition. Tom Branson: Ambition or dream? Branson tells her that it is mainly the gap between the aristocracy and the poor that he would want to change if he did go into politics, realizing that Lord Grantham is part of this ‘oppressive class’ and not wanting to offend Sybil he hastily makes amends by saying ‘he’s a good man and a decent employer’. When John Bates accidentally informs his Lordship of Lady Sybil’s involvement in the political rally with Branson, Robert Crawley is furious and confronts Sybil at the dining table. During a conversation with Mr. Bates and Anna, Branson shows his admiration of Sybil by saying that Lord Grantham “ought to be glad he’s got a daughter who cares.” Lord Grantham: I assume this was Branson’s scheme? I confess I was amused at the idea of an Irish radical for a chauffeur, but I see now I have been naïve. Later in the episode Sybil tricks both Lord Grantham and Branson into thinking that she will be going to a meeting with the committee in Ripon, when she really intends to go to the counting of the vote. When Branson and Sybil arrive she admits that there is no meeting. Worried, he tries to convince her out of going, but she is determined and proceeds. Political anarchists arrive in order to pick fights with Tories, but lucky for Branson who is finding it hard to get Sybil to leave, Matthew Crawley decides to investigate the riot but while telling Sybil to leave he is targeted and punched. In this fight, Sybil is thrown sideways and hits her head on a table, knocking her out. Matthew and Branson rush to her and find her head is bleeding, Branson lifts her up and carries her away through the crowd. Branson drives them to Crawley House and rushes to fetch Lady Mary. Mary and Matthew cannot understand why Branson would take Sybil to the counting of the vote and are certain he will lose his job as a result. Sybil tell them that Branson had no part in it, as he didn’t know where she was really going. Mary tells her that she will have to stick up for him because Lord Grantham will “skin him alive”. “She’s not badly hurt is she?” Mary says that Sybil will be fine and Branson is noticeably relieved. He seems to blame himself and asks her to let him know how she gets on. When Lord Grantham blames Branson for Sybil’s misbehavior and threatens to fire him, she defends him. Saying that she will run away if Branson is missing in the morning, Lord Grantham backs down at this and Branson is allowed to stay. In August 1914 Gwen finally receives a job offer to become a secretary. No one will dare answer the new telephone that was ringing with the good news but Branson, shortly after he rushes out to find Lady Sybil who is entertaining guests at the garden party. They rush over to celebrate with Gwen but are interrupted by Mrs. Hughes. It is at this point that Branson and Sybil can be seen to be holding hands. Allen Leech who portrays Branson explains why this is so significant: “There was a slight gesture where they held hands, and that was huge for Branson. At that time, physical contact was not allowed between people upstairs and the staff. In fact, Mrs. Hughes warned him “you’ll be left with no job and a broken heart.” But Branson is so headstrong, that’s not much of an issue for him.” Sortly after this encounter Lord Grantham receives news of Britain being at war with Germany. Series 2 It's November 1916 and Branson is still at Downton, it would appear like not much has changed in his life, as his love for Sybil is confirmed when he watches her baking with Mrs. Patmore and Daisy. Sybil wants to do more than just sit at home waiting for the war to finish so she decides to become a nurse, but before that she want to learn some basic skills, like cooking. It is things like this that Branson has always admired as it shows her spirt and determination. Branson decides he has one chance, before she leaves to train as a nurse, to tell her how he feels. He asks her to bet on him, determined that he will make something of himself. He knows that she is too far above him, but believes that the world is changing as a result of the war and if her family did disown her, they would come around, but until then he would devote every waking minute to her happiness. Sybil hesitates and replies that she is flattered, knowing that this is not the answer he was hoping for, Branson tells her that 'flattered' is a word posh people use when they are about to say 'no'. laughing she says that sounds like something he would say. Lord Grantham would certainly fire Branson had he known, but Sybil promises not to say anything to her family. Branson is knocked back by this rejection, but understanding it would be hard for her to forget about being a nurse and her family even if she did have feelings for him. In April 1917, Sybil is a fully trained nurse and she feels useful for the first time in her life. The things she has seem make her realise that she could never go back to the way she had lived before the war. When telling Branson this he gains hope that he may be with him eventually and despite her rejecting him, he is as in love with her as ever. A few months later, Branson has been called up by the war office, Sybil rushes to see him, not wanting him to go, but he does not intend to fight for the British Army, instead he plans on being a conscientious objector. She tells him that he will go to prison if he publicly speaks out against the war, but he doesn't care if he does have a record for the rest of his life, saying that at least he will have a life. When Branson finds out he has been rejected by the army because of a heart murmur, Sybil is initially worried for him, but he says it is only dangerous if you want to humiliate the British Army. She is glad that he isn't going to be killed or go to prison, but wonders why he has to be angry all the time, saying that she knows Britain wasn't at it's best in Ireland. This is the first time Branson has been seen to be angry at something Sybil has said. He tells her during the Easter Rising one of his cousin was walking on North King Street in Dublin and an English officer shot him dead because he was "probably a rebel". She says she didn't know and he drives away fuming. Branson thinks of another way to get back at the army by offering to be a footman and serve at a dinner party at which an important army general is a guest. Branson writes Sybil a note asking her to forgive him for what he did to the general and puts it in some of her washing to be taken to her room. Anna finds this note and runs to tell Mrs Hughes, believing Branson to be about to poison the general. Together they find Mr. Carson and stop Branson before he had chance to serve the soup. Branson contemplates making a scene anyway, but looks over his shoulder to Sybil and decides to leave quietly with Mr Carson. As it turns out, Branson was not planning to kill the general, but to pour a mixture of oil, cow pat and sour milk over his head. Carson decides not to get the police involved and lets Branson off with a promise that he will not do anything like it again. It is 1918 and Sybil is talking to Branson outside the garage, questioning why he promised Mr. Carson not to take part in any more political protests when he wouldn't promise her. She doesn't understand how he can be contented with tinkering with a car all day. He tells her that she is the reason he won't leave Downton and states that she feels the same way towards him but is too scared to admit it, but Sybil tells him to not be so ridiculous. Unaware of Mary Crawley's presence he continues to try and convince her to run away with him. Luckily they are out of earshot, but Mary has been made aware by Violet Crawley that Sybil may have a inappropriate beau she has to keep secret. Mary questions Sybil about what she was talking to the chauffeur about if not requesting him to drive her somewhere. Sybil becomes defensive, abruptly stating that he is a person and can talk about other things, but according to Mary, he can't with someone of Sybil's status. At dinner, Sybil is given advice by Violet about how to handle inappropriate relations formed during war time, unaware of the validity of her words. Sybil believes Mary has told her about Branson, but is later corrected. Sybil tells Mary everything, despite her horror at the situation she promises not to tell anyone or get Branson fired, as long as Sybil doesn't do anything stupid, Sybil convinces Mary by saying repeatedly that she doesn't like him and that the feelings are totally unrequited. Sybil finds Branson in order to tell him that Mary knows about them. At first he is worried that he will be made to leave without a reference, but is cheered by Sybil's address of the two of them as 'us'. Branson tries to convince her that she loves him, otherwise she would have told her family about his intentions years ago, but again she denies being in love with him. This meeting turns into an argument, Sybil reveals she has thought about the the consequences of running away with him, asking if she will be accepted by his people and how she could never leave her family. A moment of despair results in Branson belittling Sybil's work serving tea to a bunch of randy officers. According to Allen Leech Branson later apologises to Sybil but the scene was cut. Branson finally tells her that nothing else matters but the two of them: "Look, it comes down to whether or not you love me. That’s all. That’s it. The rest is detail." Political Views Category:Characters Category:Boys Category:Servants Category:Characters Category:Boys Category:Servants Category:Characters Category:Boys Category:Servants Category:Characters Category:Boys Category:Servants